


let's talk about it

by afterthenisnow



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: F/F, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-02
Updated: 2018-07-02
Packaged: 2019-06-01 02:54:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,616
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15133535
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/afterthenisnow/pseuds/afterthenisnow
Summary: Alex has a temper at work, so Maggie decides to confront her about it.





	let's talk about it

She quickly notices her girlfriend has a temper.

This temper is rare and fleeting and only ever appears at work so, initially, that’s why Maggie disregards it, knowing full well the sort of pressure that Alex has to face at work. She also knows that Alex is an absolute sweetheart, and that it’s not representative of the kind and gentle soul that she is beneath the tough exterior.

However, a few months later, Alex beats up a suspect in a holding cell and, a few weeks after that, Maggie witnesses this violent streak with her own eyes, and has to pull Alex off some defenceless perp before she beats him to death. ‘What the hell are you playing at?’

‘I told him not to run.’

‘Criminals run, Alex. That’s just what they do.’

‘He killed someone.’

‘And so would you have if I hadn’t stopped you.’

The perp, who’s lying on the concrete with a busted brow, speaks up. ‘You fucking bitch – I’m pressing charges.’

Maggie shakes her head. ‘Buddy, you’ve killed three people. Nobody will give a damn about you.’ She slaps cuffs on him and hauls him to his feet. ‘I’ve got it from here. I’ll see you at the bar?’

Alex nods and smiles. ‘Yeah, sure.’

The incident eats away at Maggie for the remainder of the day and keeps her up at night. It’s a viscous cycle that only begins again the next day as she wakes up and sees Alex resting so peacefully beside her, the only trace of those violent tendencies being her battered knuckles. _She’s hurting herself too_.

_This can’t go on any longer._

Maggie decides to stage an intervention of sorts and invites Alex over to her apartment after work.

‘Door’s open!’ She calls out at Alex’s knock. Her focus remains on stirring the rice – she’s making chicken curry for the two of them – so only hears the door opening, followed by footsteps and then strong arms around her slender waist.

Alex nuzzles at her neck. ‘Hey, hey.’

‘Hey,’ Maggie replies breathlessly. They’ve been together close to six months yet she still finds herself left dumbstruck by how sweet Alex could be. That’s also what takes her aback about the whole violence thing – it’s just so weird to think that someone as tender and as soft as Alex can be so dangerous. ‘How was work?’

‘Not as good as you.’

Maggie grins. ‘You’re lame.’

‘You’re cute,’ Alex counters, her fingers starting to wander.

‘And one of us – most likely you – is gonna get burned if the chef keeps getting distracted.’

Alex relinquishes her hold. ‘Ugh. And that’s why I prefer takeout.’

‘Take that back.’

‘Make me,’ Alex jousts.

Maggie hits right back with a spoonful of what she’s been stirring. ‘Careful it’s hot,’ she says as she delicately guides the spoon to her girlfriend’s mouth.

Alex’s eyes roll back and she moans. ‘Oh my god…I take it all back. No more takeout ever, you can just cook all day, every day.’

‘In your dreams.’

‘Look at me – my dreams come true.’

Little things like that would forever make Maggie melt. They were yet to exchange _I love yous_ , but such an exchange would only be a formality – she didn’t need verbal confirmation, she knew that Alex loved her. But…

…but no. The long-awaited declaration that Maggie has been on the cusp of finding the courage to say out loud had to wait another night. Tonight was all about helping Alex, to help get to the bottom of a temper that threatened to ruin her career, as well as cause herself physical harm – and the scumbags she was beating up too yet, from what Maggie had been told, those lowlifes had done a fair share of heinous acts, and kinda deserved it.

Maggie planned to bring up after they’d finished eating but changes her mind as she sees Alex wince in pain at her battered knuckles. ‘You okay?’

Alex nods. ‘Yeah.’

‘Are you sure? Have you seen a doctor?’

‘No need, I’m more than qualified.’ Alex takes a sip of her wine. ‘Plus, I had Kara x-ray me to check that there wasn’t anything broken.’

‘And what about the guy you assaulted?’ It comes out a little harsher than Maggie intends but she is stating a fact. Alex did _assault_ the man, there was no denying that.

‘He’s fine. His pride’s damaged, that’s about it.’

‘I heard he’s got a broken nose,’ Maggie suggests. ‘And he shouldn’t have a broken nose. He shouldn’t have been assaulted.’

As Alex’s expression immediately changes, Maggie feels guilty for bringing it up. ‘What do you mean? That guy was a murderer. He deserves a lot, _lot_ more than a few punches to the face.’

She regrets this immensely as she knows they’re on the cusp of an argument. A rare argument – they’ve only ever really had one before, and even that was more bickering than an argument. ‘He was a _suspected murderer_ and that point’s moot. He might or might not be a scumbag, but he still has rights. And besides…this isn’t an isolated incident, either.’

And then it happens – Alex puts her fork down, her interest in the homecooked meal gone completely. ‘What do you mean by that?’

‘I’ve talked about this with your sister because we’re both starting to get a little concerned.’

‘ _Concerned_ about what?’ Alex frowns.

‘Your temper at work. You can be…volatile.’

‘I have to deal with some of the worst people in the world, in a high-pressure environment. You can forgive me for being a little _volatile_.’

‘Kara doesn’t beat defenceless people up.’

Alex looks pissed now. ‘What?’

‘That prisoner in a holding cell a few weeks ago. You left him in need of medical treatment too.’

‘Him?’

‘Yes _him,_ the guy you threatened to murder and very well could have if it had not been for J’onn,’ Maggie says. ‘You can’t do that, babe. As much as I’d like to, you can’t just beat people up.’

What happens next is, sadly, not unexpected. Alex stands to leave. ‘You know what--.’

And Maggie’s voice is firm. ‘No. You’re not going to leave right now. We are going to talk about this because this is important, and I am worried about you, Alex.’

That makes Alex stop in her tracks and, after a few moments, turn to face her. ‘I’m…sorry, I…’ She tails off, shaking her head.

Maggie offers a kind smile and gestures for Alex to sit back down beside her on the floor, which she does. ‘Listen. You are the sweetest person that I know, and I know that you aren’t a monster. But people are starting to talk about your…well, temper and I don’t want you to get a bad reputation.’ Maggie reaches for Alex’s hand. ‘And I don’t want you to keep hurting yourself like this, either.’

Alex looks at her own hand, sadly. ‘I didn’t mean to hit that guy. It’s just…I…I saw red and, you know…couldn’t stop myself.’

‘I know, I’ve had those thoughts too. Many a time.’

‘And how do you stop them?’

‘With difficulty,’ Maggie admits. ‘However, it’s important to think about how these assholes aren’t worth the energy to pummel. I know the justice system can be pretty fucked up in this country, but you just gotta have faith that they’ll get what’s coming to them.’ The way Alex is listening gives Maggie the courage to say something else she’s been thinking of saying. ‘And your drinking--.’

As expected, Alex reverts to defensive. ‘I don’t have a drinking problem.’

‘I didn’t say that,’ Maggie says softly. ‘I am by no means insinuating that you are an alcoholic…but I do think you rely on it a little too much as a vice when things go south.’

‘I…’ Alex sighs. ‘I do. It’s just…a coping mechanism, I guess. I never used to be able to talk about my job with other people, not that I even _had_ people to talk about it to.’

Maggie painfully relates. Then is blindsided by what comes out of her girlfriend’s mouth next.

‘How would you feel about moving in with me?’

Blindsided yet she’s unable to stop a smile spreading on her face.

Alex starts to ramble. ‘Feel free to say no, I know it might be too soon but it’d be nice, you know? To have someone to come home to every day…to talk to about things, so I don’t bottle things up. Or reach for the nearest bottle.’

‘I’d like that.’

‘Yeah?’

Maggie keenly nods. ‘Of course, I would.’ She already has a key and spends most nights at Alex’s as it was – tonight was a rare exception – so it would be nice to make things _official_.

Alex smiles. ‘Okay. Great.’ She then cuddles into Maggie. ‘I don’t deserve you.’

Such a sentiment breaks Maggie’s heart. ‘Do you really think that? ‘Cause, Alex – you deserve the world.’

A quiet moment passes. Alex is the one that breaks the silence as she pulls away from Maggie and meets her eyes. ‘I’ve been wanting to tell you this for a while and I…I--.’ Alex’s phone rings and cuts her off. Unsurprisingly, it’s work. ‘An alien we’ve been chasing for a while has been spotted down at the docks, I need to go.’

Maggie understands. ‘I’ll have leftovers waiting for you.’

‘Thank you,’ Alex says with a kiss before she scrambles to pull on her boots and jacket. ‘I’ll see you back here?’

Maggie nods. ‘Yep. Be careful.’

‘I will.’ Alex leaves, and leaves her sentence from earlier unfinished.

Maggie’s able to complete it because she feels the exact same way. _I love you._

**Author's Note:**

> all comments are welcome down below!


End file.
